


Friction

by seehunnybeessoar



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, also hurt myself because reading old work hurts my feeling tbh, but otherwise just follow the authors notes lol, in which i hurt my favorite couple, it makes me cringe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-06-11 21:42:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15324951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seehunnybeessoar/pseuds/seehunnybeessoar
Summary: Title: FrictionPairing: NaLuSummary: A simple job meant to take her mind off things, becomes more than Lucy bargained for as she tries to make sense of her feelings for her salmon haired partner.Rating: MNone of these characters are owned by me, they are all owned by the wonderful Hiro Mashima!





	1. Whipped

**Author's Note:**

> A/N:  
> This is the first chapter of Friction, and I’m happy to get it on to Ao3. It is Rated M for mature. For a few reasons as this chapter just has some mild torture (nothing extremely expletive but just a quick trigger warning). And in later chapters there will be more mature themes. I will be pointing them out at the very beginning of every chapter so that you will know what lies ahead, and can choose if you’d rather stop reading, or skip a chapter.  
> LAST BUT NOT LEAST: If you are reading my fanfiction then I ABSOLUTELY appreciate, and love you. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this, and I hope you enjoy!!

Her cheek rested on slick, jagged rock. Was she on the ground, or leaning against the wall? Every time she was returned to her holding cell it became more difficult to figure out what position she’d woken in. It was cold, and water dripped onto her forehead causing her to jolt in shock. Her throat was raw, and by this point, no noise could come from her vocal cords to even make her awakening known. Which was fine by her, the less her captors knew the better.

 

It was dark, not from a lack of lighting, but a lack of vision. It had been several days since her captors had used a light based spell to burn her retinas. Her entire body was numb, save for the random bursts of throbbing from the many deep cuts she had sustained, and any attack it received no longer brought her the same amount of pain as when this had all begun. At this point, it was hard to imagine that she didn’t have nerve damage. A door screeched open as metal fought against the stone flooring.

 

“I wonder if the little princess has finally given up?” if she could answer it would have been a firm ‘no’. Though, she was extremely certain that they already knew of her inability to respond to any questions they may have had surrounding her guild. A hand grabbed her bicep and jerked her to her feet. Her ankles protested causing her to crash to the ground.

 

Still, she knew it would be another repeat of the day before. They’d drag her there just as they had in the days most recent. At least, the days she remembered. Day and night blended together into a seamless string of torment. She’d been relying solely on touch, and what she could hear. Today, she was down to just sound.

 

“So, tell us, Ms. Lucy Heartfilia.” Knowing her full name was useless. She had no family left, and Fairy Tail was completely capable of defending against an intruder.

 

“The start of the Lumen Histoire was done in your very guild.” everyone had heard the stories of the infinite power of Fairy Tail’s ultimate weapon.

 

During the war with Alvarez, that very vessel had been destroyed. Though, like any other country, greed never stopped prevailing. A number of reporters and dark guilds had swarmed like flies to find out how to create what was essentially an overpowered lacrima.

 

What none of them knew was that the very first master of Fairy Tail had become encased in that lacrima, and then through several experiments had become the great power of Lumen Histoire.

 

“We want that power.” the male voice darkened, and Lucy shuddered at the stark change in tone. Playtime was over.

 

Her body crashed to the ground with a loud thud, and her entire body seared with pain. Her vocal cords managed a loud ‘Agh!’, but that was quickly over when her voice box quit vibrating.

 

“You won’t have any further chances, bitch.” A shiver ran down her spine. By estimation, she’d been here nearly two weeks, and from the sound of his voice, it wouldn’t be for much longer. She’d been the weakest link after all. Which isn’t saying she was weak by most mage standards, but of the people that knew the secrets of Lumen Histoire she would be considered the least skilled.

 

The original job she had responded to was a simple request to aid in reorganizing a personal library. She had just needed a mission for the rest of her rent money, and she hadn’t been able to ask Natsu to go with her. Not that it had been Natsu’s fault, it had been her without a doubt.

 

She was worried about how reckless he’d been lately and figured going on a basic job alone would keep him out of trouble. No. That was a lie. She’d been pissed, which seemed stupid to her now, that he’d been throwing himself into danger during every mission. The last one had been what broke the camel’s back.

 

He’d launched himself with his entire body flaming at a large slithering snake that the village had asked them to exterminate. That same snake had its tail raised, and ready to come crashing down on her when that pink menace had come rushing to her rescue. That’s what it had truly been about.

 

She had been mad at herself and projected it onto him. Lucy had been weak, and she had been reckless. When Natsu had thrown himself at that snake with as much force as he could he nearly went cascading off the cliff they’d been fighting on. If she hadn’t reacted the way she did he may have been dead. The blonde had just narrowly caught him by the ankle with her whip, and Happy had completed the Natsu Retrieval. She could still hear his voice when she’d finished yelling at him.

 

_“Come on, Luce. We finished the job, and we’re all okay. What’s the big deal?”_

 

The big deal was her. She’d been so angry, and so to keep _herself_ out of trouble she’d chosen an easy job. A simple task. Reorganize a library. She’d spent days in the massive library in her childhood home rearranging by alphabet, by last names of authors, first names of authors, you name a way to organize a library and she could confirm she’d done it.

 

She had told Mira she’d only be gone a week. Were they looking for her? Of course, they were. Natsu would break down every door at every guild to find her. What would he find, she wondered absently as the clink of chains secured to one wrist, and then to the other. She felt her body dangling from what she assumed was the ceiling of the dungeon she’d been dragged to since the beginning.

 

By now she didn’t even remember what it looked like. How many more days would this go on? Was it night or day? She wished she knew. What she wouldn’t give to feel the rays of the sun scorch her cheeks. What she wouldn’t give to feel the cool chill of the night across her goosebump ridden skin while she watched the stars. What she wouldn’t give to do it all with him. She’d have to apologize when she got back. While stuck in this prison she’d had time to lament on a few things. Things she needed to tell him.

 

“Tell us.” the crack of the whip sounded, and her skin screamed like it was burned by fire. Her mouth opened as if to scream, but her throat was raw, and no sound would come out. Instead, she gasped for air. She gasped for the wind to reach her lungs, and when it felt like she’d never catch her breath she felt water on her cheeks.

 

Another crack, her entire chest went up in flames. If she could talk, she might have begged. But she’d never tell them how to create Lumen Histoire. What had been the light of her guild was gone, and it should never have existed. Unlimited magical power in the hands of bastards like these could kill thousands. Thousands weighed against her own life. It wasn’t a hard choice. Another crack and her mind went blank.

 

She came to with the same darkness, but her mind was active. Hazy, but active. There was a rumble that caused her seat to vibrate, and she jerked roughly against her chains. Rumbling? Then, the sound of an explosion. Her heart thundered in her chest, as she could swear she heard the sound of crackling fire.

 

“Na-” her voice faded out, unable to complete her sentence. She willed her entire body to move, even a single limb would do. Nothing. The world went silent. Her lungs burned with every breath in, and she could smell the smoke in the air.

 

Then, there was a jingle she’d know anywhere. Her keys. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill onto her lap. When had her keys been retrieved? Did her captors have them? Were they going to threaten her spirits? She wouldn’t let them. Even if she could she’d never summon a single spirit.

 

Lucy realized at that moment that other than the sounds of explosions, and occasional screams, there were no sounds in the room she was in. Not any belonging to a physical person. Had her captors left?

 

She hadn’t heard them go, but she’d been used to the spaces in memory regarding her captivity. Sometimes, when she came to she’d have new wounds, and they’d be angrier than when they started. The celestial mage would _never_ give them what they wanted. She would never tell a single person the secrets of her guild. _Never._ Even if she had to die. The crackling was closer now, and her heart filled with hope. Fire.

 

“Na--” her eyes welled up when the sound of metal chains breaking filled her ears. Her body dropped like a ragdoll, but a hand caught her shoulder and gripped tightly to keep her from hitting the ground. Her saviour knelt to the ground, bringing her down slowly with them to gain leverage, and an arm slinked under her knees. She felt her body being lifted simply from the change in gravity, and that her limbs grew even heavier with her inability to move.

 

“Natsu.” her voice barely above a whisper, and tears dripping from her chocolate orbs. All she remembered was the sound of gravel crunching under his feet, and the building exploding into what she hoped was a million tiny pieces.


	2. Charred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: Friction  
> Pairing: NaLu  
> Summary: A simple job meant to take her mind off things, becomes more than Lucy bargained for as she tries to make sense of her feelings for her salmon haired partner.  
> Rating: M  
> None of these characters are owned by me, they are all owned by the wonderful Hiro Mashima!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:  
> There are mentions of minor gore ahead. Honestly, I might need to add the graphic violence archive warning but im not sure what would constitute graphic. I guess just let me know if any of you feel its too much, and i'll mark it accordingly

There he sat, his fists clenched until the knuckles were white as a ghost. The calloused fingers clutching onto gold for dear life. This was all he had left of her now. A golden key with a symbol on the handle. Holding it up by the handle, the pinkette flicked his hand threatening to throw the key across the room. He stopped abruptly, then he set the golden memory down on the table while running a finger against the slick surface.

 

            “C’mon Loke.” His hushed voice gruff, and his eyes tearing up. Rough fingers dug into tangled pink locks while the fire mage’s emotions threatened to spill over.

 

            He’d been staying in Lucy’s apartment since she went missing as though she’d walk right through that door at any moment. When she did, he wanted to be right there waiting for her. His onyx eyes drifted back to the key of the stars, eyeing the emblem on the handle. It was the Key of the Lion. The one spirit that the celestial mage owned who could come through the gates using his own magic.

 

            Loke was his only hope, but he had seen nothing of the cat bastard since he found the key in the ashes of the guild that Lucy had taken the request from. Well, it was in association with the guild the job had originated from. The main guild had several branches and, as it turned out, it was a dark guild. His fingers gripped the key and lifted it from the table. Memories swirled in his mind as he remembered the moment he discovered his comrade’s spirit key.

 

            _Wind caressed his skin as he and Happy flew high above the ground to get a better scouting from above. It had been weeks since Lucy went missing, and they were no closer to finding her._

_“Happy! Speed up!” He yelled to his blue-furred partner before casting a glance at the terrain below them. Every lead they had gotten ended up a dead end. As it turned out the job Lucy had taken was for a guild with several different branches, and none of them had ever seen her come through. Had Erza not been there he might have destroyed several different guild halls trying to get answers._

_Even though Erza herself had destroyed at least one, and he wanted that same satisfaction. He needed to smash something. He’d do anything to get her back. **Anything.** Fire licked his skin as he felt his rage bubbling again. He simmered in it, using whatever he needed to fuel himself. No matter what, he would find her, and when he did whoever had taken her would not escape his fury._

_“Aye, sir!” Happy kicked his speed up a notch, and the roughness of the wind began to push back at them. The location he and his furry friend were heading towards was a small village in southwest Fiore. Much like the blonde’s childhood home this village was also in the middle of absolute nowhere. Erza managed to pull this location from the last branch, and immediately notified him via the small lacrima devices they’d all purchased specifically for search team use._

_If they didn’t find her here, then he was liable to start a war. The request came from them, and he was damn sure they had a stake in this somehow. Up ahead, they saw a billow of smoke rising above the mountain. If he remembered right, just past that mountain was the guild they were looking for._

_"Lucy!” he screamed, and Happy immediately picked up speed without needing to be asked._

_“We’re coming, Lucy!” Happy screamed as he began to glow. He moved into Max Speed, and began to clear right over the mountain. That’s when they saw it. The guild had been obliterated. There was nothing except rubble, and ash floating in the harsh winds. He stared into the flames that licked the building, and his gut wrenched._

_Happy dropped him to the ground, and as soon as his feet had touchdown he bolted into the burning building. He absorbed the flames into his body so that he could use it as fodder to fuel his immediate goal._

_“Lucy! Luce!” he screamed out her name until his throat was raw. He couldn’t find her, and with the smell of burnt flesh and wood in the air, it was near impossible to sniff her out. Then, there it was. Her scent. He barely caught it under the stronger odours, but it was absolutely her. He whirled his body around, looking wildly in every direction before finally catching sight of something promising._

_A set of stairs leading underground. He was sprinting and launching himself down the stairs before he could even think. The basement was in even worse condition. The walls were a jagged stone that matched the floor. There were cells on either side of the hallways he was currently walking through. Lucy’s smell was stronger here._

_Something glinted out of the corner of his eye, and he immediately rushed to it. “A key.” He whispered, reaching down and picking it up. It was a gate of a zodiac key. His hands trembled._

_“Natsu!” the blue feline came to a halt by the fire mage’s side._

_"Wait.. that key?” the exceed stared at the handle. “That’s Loke’s key!” Happy hadn’t realized that Natsu had stopped listening to him, or to anything at all._

_To the dragon slayer’s right, his partner’s scent overpowered his senses. He didn’t want to turn. His stomach churned, and he threatened to upchuck at that exact moment. His body protested as he stood slowly, deliberately, before turning to gaze into a scene that would forever haunt him._

_A single light bulb lit the dungeon cell, and all he could focus on was the blood riddling the ground, the broken chains, and bloody weapons strewn across the ground. The worst thing of all: the only thing he could smell in that dungeon cell was the smell of rust, and the deep scent of his partner._

               He screamed loudly, smacking his head as though trying to rid his dark mind of the memory that he just couldn’t shake. It’s fine, he told himself. He’d find her, or she’d come home. He laid his fluffy salmon hair against the pink comforter that Lucy had purchased when she moved in. She’d loved that comforter, and it smelled like her. It smelled like the her that wasn’t in that basement. It smelled like the her he wanted to remember, and not the one he did. He stood slowly, as though his entire body was covered in aches, and pains.

 

               He stepped around the small table near her bed. The dragon slayer grazed his hands across the side of her bookshelf as he passed it on the way to her front door. The books were starting to gather a small layer of dust from lack of use. The fire mage looked away abruptly and with a smooth motion shoved the zodiac key into his pocket and slammed the door of her apartment shut. He needed to go to the guild so he could report to Erza on his search for the day. Normally, he’d do it by lacrima, but he needed to keep his mind busy.

 

               He and Happy walked along the river where she would constantly play a game of balance, and where the merchants knew her name. He walked through the town that was her home, and he wondered how afraid she must be. It had been two weeks since they had located Loke’s key with no further leads popping up after that.

 

               He entered the guild through the wide double doors, and immediately caught the sight of Erza’s scarlet hair and the half-naked man to her right. Two birds with one stone.

 

               “Hey, Erza. Gray.” He nodded to both of them while raising a hand in a half wave. “I checked with that smaller guild outside the city, but they’ve got nothin’.” His report was short and curt. There wasn’t even anything to go over.

 

               “Hey, Natsu. Happy.” Gray had been particularly more cautious with word choice. He recognized the dragon slayer was having a hard time, and Natsu appreciated him not harping him on every word he said. “I haven’t heard any word from the other guilds of any mages needing medical attention. I reached out to Lyon for any information he could have.”

 

                “Ah. I’ve gotten in touch with Jellal to see if he knows anything. Crime Sorciere was on top of that guild for a while.” It was no secret that Erza and Jellal spoke weekly. Once Jellal was pardoned he decided to utilize Crime Sorciere to help the council in taking down dark guilds that were using… _questionable_ methods to gain information, or any guilds breaking specific laws that the council needed to be upheld. Crime Sorciere was by no means a direct magic council squad. It seemed to be a ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ type of deal.

 

                “He should be here shortly. He shut down the guild that Lucy was speculated to be held at.” Erza was right. He had shut down the entire guild including its branches, but he’d also destroyed the one that held Lucy. Jellal had mentioned something about how that guild hall should never remain standing. Once he saw the basement Natsu couldn’t help but agree.

 

                 “Do they have any news?” it was Gray that spoke this time. The ice mage had been watching the pinkette intently since he, and Happy had arrived.

 

                 “No.” he muttered. He had become increasingly upset with Crime Sorciere, and their lack of cooperation.

 

                 “Are they even trying to help!” he snapped. First, the cat bastard, and now Crime Sorciere. He seriously needed to bring it down a few notches. Throwing a tantrum wouldn’t help anybody, and it certainly wouldn’t help his blonde partner.

 

                 “Cool down, flame brain. I’m sure they’re tellin’ us what they can. Jellal wouldn’t keep somethin’ like Lucy’s location to himself.” Natsu understood that Gray was trying to keep a calm mind, but he also knew that everyone was having trouble remaining objective. The dragon slayer was only making it worse with his irritability.

 

                  Immediately, he felt a power surge. He whirled towards the door where 3 hooded figures stood. He immediately recognized both by scent. He found it odd that they still wore the cloaks after being pardoned, but he figured it was a mixture of habit, and it allowed them to hide their identities from the more troublesome dark guilds.

 

                  The third figure wasn’t someone he recognized as part of their group. It was hard to catch their scent since they were clutching to Jellal’s cloak and weren’t directly upwind. The figure moved from behind Jellal to his side. Then, he smelled it. Clear as a summer’s day.

 

                  “Lucy?” he whispered. The short, hooded figure was clutching tightly to the cloak of the bluenette.

 

                  “Natsu? Is that you?” her voice was a melody to his ears. A song he wanted to hear over and over again. She released the cloak and began to stumble forward. She stopped as if to catch her balance for a moment.

 

                  “Luce!” Natsu rushed forward, grabbing the small hooded figure, and pulling them against his body in a tight embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
> I really wanted to toy with the idea of Natsu not having something to throw his rage at. In every situation where someone he loved got hurt there was someone for him to hit so to swing something different I wanted him to have nowhere to get rid of his rage except to redirect into other not so great habits. Next chapter will be where the ball starts rolling. We’re going to get some more information on what Lucy’s condition is currently. At this point Lucy has been missing for roughly 5 ½ weeks now. I actually had a tough time writing out the solemn dynamic of Gray, Natsu, and Erza. Mostly just keeping Natsu in canon is a struggle to me since he has such a dynamic personality. Also, Happy. That little blue cat is a struggle for me, but I felt like he’d be matching Natsu’s mood, and Natsu’s mood is a state of permanent scowl right now. He does his best.  
> My tumblr is:
> 
>  
> 
> [kurokamine](https://www.kurokamine.tumblr.com)
> 
>  
> 
> feel free to take a gander. I have a current works page that also has everything i've written for NaLu and mashima's new work Edens Zero with more updated writing haha


	3. Blinded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: Friction  
> Pairing: NaLu  
> Summary: A simple job meant to take her mind off things, becomes more than Lucy bargained for as she tries to make sense of her feelings for her salmon haired partner.  
> Rating: M  
> None of these characters are owned by me, they are all owned by the wonderful Hiro Mashima!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s another exciting installment of Friction! So, we’re going to delve into Lucy’s POV for a portion of the chapter while we kind of slow point of the story. So, this is what I call the shitty midway point where I’m universe building and working it up to chapter 4. Chapter 4 is the climax chapter, and our resolution will smooth out with chapter 5. we've also got some slight ptsd in this chapter. Here's just a quick heads up.

Cheers so loud her ears threatened to shatter exploded from all around her. The wild stomping had the ground under her vibrating, and she immediately felt suffocated. They’d ask questions. Her heart lodged in her throat, and her breaths were ragged as she furiously attempted to pull air into her lungs. She couldn’t breathe! She shoved and shoved until she felt released from the grip she had been held in. It felt like a snake had wrapped around her body, and it wouldn’t let go. She couldn’t hear anything except the furious pounding of her own heart. Thump. _I need to leave,_ her mind screamed. Thump. _Where do I go from here?_ Thump. _There’s nowhere to go._ Thump. She felt cornered. She felt _imprisoned._

“No.” her voice barely above a whisper.

 

“No!” she screamed as though her life depended on it. She stumbled back running into hard armour. _Erza._ Erza would ask questions. She shoved, throwing herself backwards in the process, and she felt her body falling. Where was she? Where would she fall? What would she hit? A body. She crashed into a hard chest, and soon the sound of wood breaking echoed around her. She heard the wood splinter, and she even felt the vibration of the body below her taking the damage in her place.

 

“Lucy.” The voice in her ear was gruff, and she could hear a small wheeze coming from his lungs. Her entire body froze as though she’d just locked eyes with the Evergreen, and had been turned to stone. The body held her tightly against his chest one hand on the back of her head, and one on her lower back. She felt her skin turn to fire starting from his fingertips, and spreading through her entire body. She started to struggle again wanting nothing more than to be away from her prying guildmates.

 

It was at this moment that Lucy Heartfilia wished she’d gone straight home instead of stopping at the guild. The blonde gritted her teeth at the thought. They were her goddamn family, and here she was trying to run away from them. They’d been worried, and they’d been looking for her and waiting for her to come home.

 

Lucy felt her chest constrict with guilt as she thought about what she’d just done. Her breath was coming in short spurts, and it wouldn’t be long until another wave of panic flooded her. Luckily, the entire guild had been silenced by her reaction, and that would help. She might be able to bring herself back down now that it was quiet.

 

“Perhaps, we should all talk privately.” Jellal. She recognized his voice easily since they’d been talking frequently since he and his band of misfits had rescued her from the guild, Succubus Eye. The hand on her back wrapped around her waist and tugged tighter.

 

“Yeah. I think we should.” Natsu’s voice held barely contained anger, and it was honestly a surprise that he hadn’t just gone in fists flying. She imagined a portion of it had to do with her body still being held tightly to his. Lucy didn’t think he’d be letting her go any time soon, but that thought was dismissed when his grip loosened, and he began to push himself up to a standing position.

 

He pulled her up with him before releasing his grip. Now that the celestial mage had begun to calm down she found her body screaming in displeasure as soon as the heat he had brought with him left her skin. She wanted him to hold her even closer. She wanted him, and the safety he had brought to her.

 

“First, she needs a healer,” Meredy spoke from her left, and she flinched before breathing a sigh of relief. She moved to latch onto Meredy, but a hand gripped her wrist effectively stopping her from moving any further.

 

“Healer?” it was Gray who spoke up. His voice a deep rumbling sound, though she couldn’t place his location in the guild.

 

“Yes.” Her voice was hovering just barely above a whisper again. She’d strained it with her outburst, which meant she’d have to use a lowered voice while she recuperated.

 

“I took a few hits. Where’s Wendy?” She tried to change the subject as subtly as possible to keep them from asking too many questions. She just wanted to downplay what had happened in that dungeon. The hand around her wrist stiffened.

 

“Wendy is at Lamia Scale with Cheria. Let’s go to Porlyusica. We can walk, and talk.” Erza. The clank of armour told her that the redhead had already started on the move.

 

“Erza! Wait. I’m — I’m sorry.” She said, staring straight ahead of her, hoping that the redhead was in front of her.

 

“Lucy,” it came from her left. She cursed internally but turned to face the location the voice had come from.

 

“We’re just glad you’re back. Welcome home.” A hand touched her head, patting her softly. She was fairly certain it was Erza.

 

“I’m home.” She whispered, immediately dropping her head down. She’d wanted nothing more than to be back at the guild for weeks, and here she was. She was home, and somehow she still felt like she wasn’t safe.

 

“Alright. Let’s go, flame brain. Don’t just stand there like an idiot.” It was Gray, obviously, but she couldn’t get an idea of where he was in the guild from sound alone. Had they already started walking towards the exit? She quickly became self-conscious of her actions. She hadn’t wanted them to know. She didn’t want them to see. She tugged the hood down further.

 

“Shut up, droopy eyes! I’m comin’, I’m comin’.” Natsu made a clicking noise with his teeth.

 

“How about you--" Gray was suddenly cut off as a voice spoke up.

 

“Lucy?” Happy. He was behind her. She whirled around causing her wrist to dislodge from Natsu’s hand.

 

“Happy!” she screamed spreading her arms open wide for the exceed to fly right into her chest. And he did.

 

“Lucy!” the blue cat whined out. She immediately felt him nuzzling into her breasts, and she even felt her fabric become wet with drops of his tears.

 

“I’m sorry for scaring you.” She nuzzled into the top of his head. This felt like home. She felt closer to what she’d lost weeks ago. Maybe everything would be okay after all. She felt the blue exceed curling into her chest, and then just like that, he was breathing steadily. “Happy?” she mumbled unsure of what to make the sudden change from her other partner.

 

“He’s asleep.” Natsu’s hand grabbed hers gently and then tugged. “He hasn’t been sleeping much since ya left. We both haven’t. He musta tuckered himself out.” That explained the suddenly sleeping cat she was holding to her chest with one arm.

 

He tugged again, pulling her forward to bring her with him. The sudden pull caused a rush of air to blow against her face, and with no free hands to stop it her hood blew off her head. Natsu’s body stopped on a dime.

 

“Who?” it started as a low whisper filled with malice.

 

“Who did it!?” that was not a whisper. That was a full-blown rage. He was growling now, and she knew that if she could see his face it would be twisted in anger and resentment. The air trembled with magic that was a mixture of Erza, Gray, and Natsu combined. The three mages were furious.

 

Erza’s magic calmed first.

 

“She needs a healer.” The voice Jellal was using was stern, and held no room for playing games. “We can talk about everything while we walk. So let’s go.”

 

“No! I’m not going anywhere until I know who did it, where they are, and what they want it to say on their grave.” He snarled, rage taking over his senses. Happy was trembling in her arms.

 

“Natsu. Let’s just take Lucy to Porlyusica so it can be fixed.” Happy spoke in a low voice as though trying to calm his dragon slayer.

 

“I’m with slanted eyes on this. I think someone needs a good thrashing.” Of course Gray would choose now to be encouraging.

 

“Wait—” she was cut off by Jellal.

 

“We’re going. **_Now._** Unless you want your comrade to continue to suffer without sight due to childish behaviour.” _Oh boy_ , she thought. _Here we go._

 

Immediately, she attempted to grab onto Natsu, hoping she was reaching in the right direction. Instead, she tripped on a beer mug that had been left on the ground, and with a squeak she found herself falling again. She didn’t have to worry for long as Natsu moved to break her fall again. It took her a minute to realize it, but she still had Happy pressed against her chest. A sigh of relief left her lips.

 

“Listen, pretty boy. I’ll let that slide, for now. Only for Lucy.” Natsu’s words were barely above a whisper, and she almost wished he’d been speaking louder as it may have taken the edge off the venom in his voice.

 

She just wanted to go. She needed her sight back. She needed her home back. She just wanted to be normal. The exceed in her arms breathed a sigh of relief, and she felt paws dig into her skin. She flinched but tried not to dwell on the pain some of her injuries still left her with.

 

“Only a few of us should go. It’ll be easier to travel unnoticed in a smaller group.” Jellal had been big on travelling without the Oracion Seis members for this specific reason. Even though they had been pardoned, he was still thinking in the mindset of someone who still had to hide. Which she supposed was why he was so attached to these cloaks.

 

Natsu had released her in his fit of rage, and she was able to tug the hood back over her head. It felt more comfortable that way. She had wrapped her eyes in cloth bandages to protect them from the elements, and to keep from drawing too much attention. This way she just looked like some hooded, blind woman.

 

“Then, I will go.” The scarlet haired woman stated. Erza was good enough to be their guild’s master. She had a strong head on her shoulders, and she also knew the best utilization for information gathered.

 

“Popsicle is voting to stay behind!” she heard Natsu’s voice and a small snicker. His arm looped around her shoulder and hugged her close to his body. He was warm, and his body was hard against her own. Again, she wanted to sink into his skin and melt under his touch. It was the safest she had felt in days since her kidnapping and subsequent rescuing. He pushed away from her body, and all that lingered on her skin was the hand on her shoulder.

 

“Who do you think your speakin’ for, dragon breath?” she could hear the fast approach of Gray directly in front of her, and she squeaked in protest.

 

“If you’re going to fight!” she raised her voice again, her throat aching at the slightest of provocation. “Then you can totally just move me out of the way.” She gestured to her entire body and then gestured a full circle around her eyes. With that, the sounds of laughter echoed from her comrades, and it was starting to feel like home again.

 

“We can catch up later. Let’s move.” The clanking of metal that signalled Erza’s departure started, and soon there was also a flap of cloaks. Everyone was moving. She took a small step forward and hoped she was going in the right direction. She also prayed she wouldn’t trip on another beer mug.

 

“Bye Frosty!!” She was glad to hear Natsu and Gray were bantering the same as they always had. Her arms clutched tighter onto Happy, whose tail swished back and forth blowing air on the back of her hand. Natsu’s hand gave a slight squeeze to her shoulder before gently guiding her forward. For all the rage he must be feeling he was still being so gentle with her. She knew he had to be flashing her his signature toothy grin, and even though she couldn’t see it, she felt even calmer. Her world was righting itself over time, and he was helping to make that possible.

 

They walked in silence for a time, waiting for someone to talk, for someone to explain. The path slowly changed from the cobblestone path she was so used to, to a rougher surface where it seemed to become slicker. Her feet crunched the leaves with every step, and soon she found herself making a game out of finding the crunchiest leaf.

 

“Six months ago we caught word of Succubus Eye attempting to make it’s triumphant return to the world of the Dark Guilds. Now, as we are all painfully aware, the bastards were taken out by Tataros, and thought to never be heard from again. That was obviously not the case. This time, they got smart. They split into several different branches with one main guild building and hid under different aliases so as to not blow their cover.” Jellal started his explanation right where he’d started hers when she’d first woken up. So, she waited, and she left them to their discussion. She focused solely on the feel of Natsu’s hand and making sure she was walking steadily.

 

“Be careful, it’s an upward slope.” She felt him go ahead of her as he attempted to lead her gracefully up the steep hill. She made it uphill without much issue, and Happy moved to hover beside her instead of being carried. It was easier to keep steady without holding the exceed. She was back to holding his hand in no time. It felt so natural to be there walking together hand in hand. Her cheeks flared what she assumed was the brightest shade of red possible for her.

 

“The guild was set up to go at war with Fairy Tail. They were intending to fight the guild for your secrets on Lumen Histoire.” Jellal continued his spirited history lesson.

 

“They wanted Lumen Histoire? That would be near impossible to recreate. Master Hades had created it by accident.” The redhead chimed in, trying to understand the goals of the guild that had kidnapped her friend.

 

“Which was an unseen problem for them. So, instead of going to bat with the almighty Fairy Tail they decided to just kidnap one. Now, Crime Sorciere handled the branches that you didn’t and the main guild of Succubus Eye, but we hadn’t realized until much later that they had been kidnapping mages. They were holding her in a hidden location specifically for large-scale meetings, and other unseemly activities.”

 

Natsu’s grip on her hand tightened, and she could hear a low growl in his throat. Hoping she maneuvred right, she swayed on her heel and bumped her hip against his. He jolted in surprise, but he didn’t say anything. She continued to smile, and hum as they walked. She’d already heard this story once, and to go through the details again wasn’t something she was interested in. Not currently.

 

“So, they had their guild branches, the main guild, and then a separate location strictly for meetings, and holding mages captive?” To Erza it seemed like it was a bit much for the guilds to just have multiple locations for so many different things when they could just have one large building. Each guild had their own preferences though, so she dismissed the thought as quickly as it came.

 

“It took us a bit to locate that particular building, and even then we still hadn’t known she was being held there. We cleared out the main floor, and it was while we were checking the basement that we located her Keys. They were in a magic sealing lacrima to keep all of the magical proponents of the spirits at bay. Lucy mentioned one of her keys could pass through the gate on their own, but with her entire key pouch sealed in the lacrima there was no way that would be possible. We freed her keys first.”

 

“That cat bastard,” Natsu muttered under his breath. He could almost promise that mangy cat a beating if he saw him any time soon. Once he was unsealed he should have come straight to Lucy, or the guild. Well, maybe he’d gone to Lucy first, but Natsu wasn’t sure how far Loke could go from his key.

 

“With the destruction of that guild building that’s the last of the attempted uprising for Succubus Eye. The members were all detained and turned over to the council for sentencing. We kept Lucy with us for a few weeks while she recuperated from her rather extensive injuries. It was a long time before she could actually travel.”

 

“You had her.” Natsu’s words rang through the trees like a bell signalling for war. “You knew she was okay! You had her!” he was raging at the top of his lungs now, and she felt his hand squeeze hers tighter and tighter.

 

“We called you for help! And every time you said you’d look and see what you could find! You’d found her already but you played goddamn bullshit games, and you said nothing!”

 

Lucy stumbled forward, latching onto his arm, “Natsu! Natsu calm down!”

 

“No! We could have had you at home, and safe, and healed already but they kept you hi—” she cut him off with just a single statement.

 

“I told them not to. I didn’t want to be seen in that.. _state._ ” She mumbled against the arm she firmly held to her chest. “I’m sorry.” She was whispering again, her throat in a searing agony. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, but she couldn’t let her guildmates see her so weak, and fragile. Not again. Not since the Grand Magic Games. She released him slowly. “I told them not to.” She repeated.

 

“Lucy—” she turned her body, and then she walked, stumbling forward in hopefully the right direction. There wasn’t time to be concerned, she just couldn’t stand the thought of staying near the one person she didn’t want to hurt the most.

 

She heard footsteps following her, so either she was headed in the right direction, or no one wanted to speak up and tell her otherwise. Not that it mattered. Eventually, she would have to fully explain why she didn’t want them to know where she was for weeks. Warm fingers intertwined with hers, and she was once again being led. She squeezed the hand that held hers just once, and then the group carried on in silence.

 

Porlyusica was just as irritable as usual with the idea that there were humans in her cabin, so the only one allowed in was Lucy. “You look like someone’s personal punching bag.” The medical advisor had never been one for bedside manner. The pink-haired mage checked every wound on the blonde female’s body and worked up to removing the bandages from her eyes. She winced with the removal of the fabric, and the gentle prodding from Porlyusica. “A salve for your wounds will fix the cuts, and it might minimize the scarring.” _But there would be scars_ , she thought.

 

“Lie back.” Lucy nodded and laid flat on her back in a small bed in the cabin/clinic. “This may sting.” And boy did it. Lucy had been through a lot over the past weeks, and this liquid on her eyes still made it near the top of the list. She held herself together, if she protested, if she made any sounds of distress, then Natsu would come in a raging storm bent on destroying everything in his path. The barrage of liquid stopped, and she finally let go of the breath she was holding in.

 

“That was a potion, you’ll be able to regain your sight within the next 24 hours. Now, take that salve and leave my sight.” _Gladly,_ she thought. She stood from the bed and repositioned the cloak to her shoulders. She was relieved to have her body fully covered again.

 

“Thank you, Porlyusica.” With the medicine woman’s help, she was navigated safely out the door, and into the waiting arms of her partner. His hand gripped hers again, and she let him lead her back to town.

 

“So, I should have my sight back by tomorrow.” She was putting out feelers for a conversation.

 

“That’s great to hear, Lucy.” It was Meredy who spoke first. “Now that we’ve gotten you home, it’s time for us to go back to our own guild.” The woman approached the celestial mage and wrapped her in a tight hug. She reciprocated quickly and breathed several thank yous into the woman’s ear.

 

“I’m glad you’ll be okay. I hope the next we see you is in better circumstances.” Jellal wasn’t a hugger or really much of a goodbye person. She heard his, and Meredy’s footsteps fade away. Before long the clank of metal signalled Erza’s swift departure. Titania must finally be chasing her prince. It was about damn time the two spoke in person instead of over a communication lacrima.

 

“Hey, Luce..” Natsu’s voice was timid and unsure. It was a tone she had never heard from him before. “Nevermind. We can talk about it later. Let’s get ya home.”

 

 

And so, Lucy Heartfilia walked with her hand held tightly in her partners as though it was the most natural thing in the world. He said nothing, and neither did she. They spent the walk to her apartment in silence, but neither felt uncomfortable. They were just content in each other’s company. Natsu had Lucy back, and Lucy had finally returned to his side.

 

“One step at a time, Luce.” They were at her apartment now. She took each step slowly, with Natsu holding both of her hands, and leading her to the top of the staircase. Then, she was home. It smelled of Natsu and rosemary, but that didn’t matter because it was her home. She had missed this more than she’d care to admit.

 

“Thank you.” The door shut behind her, but she could still feel the heat of her partner behind her.

 

“You go do what you need to do. I’ll be here.” Natsu’s voice echoed through her apartment, and so did the sound of Happy’s flapping wings.

 

“I’m not leaving.” He said it as a fact, and she knew he meant it. He was merely assuring her, and himself, that he would not be leaving her alone, and she desperately needed that.

 

She knew her footing now as she’d walked through this apartment in the dark many times before. First, she showered and brushed her teeth, finally getting the grime of the past weeks completely off her skin, and then she changed. She wore her pink pyjamas with the shirt buttoned all the way to the top. Here it was. The moment where everything felt cemented. She was home, and she was safe, and with her partner, in the next room, she’d never be forced into another dungeon. She nearly sobbed at the revelation.

 

She moved back to the living space where her bed was and came to a halt when bumped into a solid body sitting next to her bed. Natsu. She knelt to the floor, touching his arm with slender fingers. “Natsu..?”

 

“Yes.” His response was immediate, and his fingers grazing the ones touching his shoulder. She leaned forward, pushing her forehead against his cheek. The blonde had no idea what she was doing but she knew she wanted to feel his warmth on her skin again. She silenced herself before she could talk herself into another stupid situation. She’d been doing that a lot lately. Slender fingers dusted across his shoulder and over his collarbone causing his breath the hitch.

 

“Are you okay?” his voice was tense as though it was taking everything in him to not move from the spot. Her fingers continued their exploration and ran up his neck before stopping to cup the other cheek. She moved back from him removing her forehead from his cheek. She could feel his body move under hers, and soon she knew that he had turned to face her. His hand touched the one she had on his cheek, and then he squeezed those gentle fingers in his calloused ones. “Luce. We should sleep.”

 

“Will you stay the night?” she whispered, her face dangerously close to his own. She hoped he would. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to sleep soundly, and she got the feeling that she wouldn’t be able to without him.

 

“Luce ya don’t even need to ask. C’mon. Go to sleep. I’ll be right here when you wake up.” He gave her hand another gentle squeeze before ushering her into her bed, which she climbed into gladly. She hadn’t slept in a bed for so long, and her body immediately sank into the mattress.

 

“Natsu.” She lifted the blankets in an invitation for him to join her. “Come.” She whispered. The mage waited as she heard shuffling, and then the mattress sank under newly added weight. His skin grazed hers, and suddenly she was tugging herself to him. Arms wrapped around his torso, legs tangled in his, she laid there.

 

She felt safe, comfortable, and most of all, it felt like no matter who or what came through that door she’d be right here when she woke up. He’d never let her get hurt, no matter what. Even with her pyjamas between them, she could still feel his fire. That fire that always tore down every enemy. Maybe it could even tear down her own inner demons.

 

“Lucy.” His breath grazed her ear, and then he was holding her even tighter to his chest. “Don’t ya ever do that again. Ya scared me half to fucking death. Don’t ever. **_EVER._** Do that again.”

 

“Never. I won’t do it again.” She confirmed. There she lay tangled limb from limb with her best friend, her partner. His heat seeped into her skin, and she relished in it. This was her first time laying with a man like this, and yet every part of her was calm. She felt safe and secure.

 

_“I love you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:  
> Maybe I should have done this chapter by chapter to keep you guessing lol but its too late for that now  
> You can find links to my current works, and updates for my new long-term fanfiction on my tumblr:
> 
> [kurokamine](https://www.kurokamine.tumblr.com)


	4. Changed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: Friction  
> Pairing: NaLu  
> Summary: A simple job meant to take her mind off things, becomes more than Lucy bargained for as she tries to make sense of her feelings for her salmon haired partner.  
> Rating: M; Mature themes ahead - Ages 18+!  
> None of these characters are owned by me, they are all owned by the wonderful Hiro Mashima!

Lucy’s body was stiff, and she felt her limbs were too difficult to move properly, which should have been a new feeling for her, but all it did was remind her of when she first woke up after being rescued from Succubus Eye.

 

_Limbs heavy, and nothing but darkness all around her, she gasped for air. She couldn’t move, and it was as though her body was being held down by an invisible entity. “I’ll never..” her throat burned in protest._

She opened her eyes, “I’ll never tell you!” she sat up quickly, her skin covered in slick sweat, and a shiver running up her spine. She was immediately startled by her surroundings. First, her bright pink comforter was strewn across her bed, and the flash of white from her peripherals were her curtains blowing in the wind that swept through her apartment through the open window by her bed. Open window? The blonde would never have just left her window open like that.

 

The mage took a look all around her to take in her surroundings, and make sure that she was in fact where she thought she was. There was a sitting table just a few feet from her bed, and the bookshelf on the far wall was right where she’d left it when she went on her mission. Slender fingers touched her forehead, and she realized that the darkness she’d experienced for weeks was finally gone, and she could actually see again.

 

That made sense of course. Porlyusica would never have lied to her, and the pink haired woman had her own image to uphold. She let out a small sigh of relief, things were slowly going back to normal. She might even be able to go on a mission with Natsu soon. They were a team after all. She shifted slightly, attempting to throw her legs over the side of her bed but she was met with resistance. A snoring mass laid beside her, and it was a wonder she hadn’t noticed him before. She was equally surprised that her outburst hadn’t woken the sleeping pinkette. Well, he’d have to wake up now.

 

“Natsu?” his snoring paused briefly but then continued right back on. Of course, that wouldn’t be enough. This was Natsu after all.

 

“That’s.. my fish… Natsu.” A sleepy voice mumbled from her left near the window. The blue exceed was laying flat on his back, snoring just as loudly as their mutual partner. Honestly, it was a wonder she had slept at all between the noise these two were making. _Fine_ , she thought. Pulling her legs from her blanket she attempted crawling over Natsu to make it off of her bed, she wanted another shower, and breakfast, so that she could feel like herself again before going back to the guild. She didn’t want another repeat of yesterday. Below her, Natsu stirred. Boy, the world was sinister today.

 

“Lucy?” the fire mage blinked sleep from his eyes, but it wasn’t until he found his movements constricted that he realized something was amiss. Finally, he focused on the blonde above him. Her long blonde locks flowed over his bare chest, and he had to fight to keep himself from tangling his fingers in those soft strands. So, instead, he stared at her, unable to look away, and unable to move his body from underneath her.

 

“Luuuucy looooooves Natsu.” The voice came from her side, and she turned her head to stare at the blue cat.

 

“What!? I— What are you talking about, Happy!?” she maneuvered swiftly and jumped from her position on top of Natsu to the hardwood floor.

 

“Stop with the jokes. Stupid cat!” she bolted from the living room to her bathroom as quickly as she could, hoping to hide the scarlet tint that her cheeks had taken.

 

“She didn’t say no…” Happy snickered into his paws, but secretly he was glad to see her back to normal already. He had missed his friend.

 

“Lucy’s being a pervert, and it’s barely noon.” The pinkette said loudly, hoping that she would hear him from the bathroom.

 

“I’m not a pervert! You’re the one who always sneaks into MY room.” The response was her typical, he noted internally. A smirk littered his sharp features.

 

“Lucy’s a weirdo!” he shouted. An aggravated grunt came from the bathroom, and he chuckled softly to himself. She was feeling better, and they were already back to bantering. That was a good sign, and they needed to be able to take a mission soon. He’d used a portion of his savings to pay her rent for one month while she was missing, but he didn’t have another full month’s rent left to cover the second month. Also, food money had been a bit tight as well.

 

“When you’re done, let’s get a mission from the guild.” He screamed to her, sitting at the side of her bed.

 

“Definitely! I’m sure Landlady is going to want rent soon!” she called from the bathroom. The blonde stared at her own reflection, hoping that her voice hadn’t shook, and that she would be able to hold it together during a job. She stared at her porcelain skin, cataloguing every single injury left.

 

Most were small little cuts that would be gone within a few more days, but her eyes were stuck on the scar that travelled diagonally from her left hip to her right shoulder. It was jagged, and pink, and someday the colour of the scar may fade to match her skin tone, but she knew this one would stick. That man left a permanent reminder of the things that happened in that dungeon.

 

She couldn’t look at that reflective surface any longer, and she whirled around to stare into the bowl of her sink. Fingers gripped the edge until her knuckles turned white, and it took her a few breaths to finally control her breathing to keep another attack buried. She was fine. _Shower,_ she thought. Normal, mundane activities would keep her grounded. She just had to keep doing what she did before she left. The hot water from her shower came to life, and it wasn’t long before it hit her skin, and the muscles in her shoulders relaxed.

 

With the shower out of the way, and her skin dry, she clothed herself in the bathroom. Rather then waltz out in a towel where the scar could be easily seen she opted to put her clothes on in the bathroom. It’s not like she wouldn’t tell him about the scar. It’s not as though he’d never find out it existed, but she wanted to delay the inevitable. She tightened the blue ribbon that was securing her hair in a loose bun.

 

Perfect. She’d chosen a collared, sleeveless blue top with a white trim. A thin yellow ribbon was tied at her neck that matched the belt her keys were attached to, and the thigh-high boots she had chosen were plain black like most of her boots. Her blue top was backless and tucked into a white skirt. She would need to go shopping for clothing with a bit more coverage later, but for now, she needed to worry about rent. Her hand touched the pouch on her hip, and she frowned. She also needed to find Loke’s key. She hadn’t seen the feline since they lost against Succubus Eye’s army.

 

She exited her bathroom half expecting the duo to have left for the guild already. Instead, Natsu sat with his arms crossed at his chest, legs straight out in front of him, with a small snore sounding from his lips.

 

“Lucy!” the pinkette was startled awake by the exceed’s outburst, and he immediately looked to her. Milk chocolate met wide open mint, and she could feel the heat rising to her cheeks again. Happy floated over to her, “Did you sleep well?”

 

“Yeah, I slept great. And!” she puffed out her chest slightly, “I can see again!” she gave a large grin before embracing the blue cat, “Ahhhh. I missed you guys.”

 

The exceed’s tail swished in response, “Lucy’s being weird again.”

 

“Lucy’s a pervert, and a weirdo!” her partners said in near unison while Lucy groaned in aggravation. Still, the joking tone they were using was the same as before. She felt instantly calmer just from that. Then, she even found herself laughing with them. Everyone was experiencing some growing pains with her being back.

 

They had to figure out if their usual was still the same now, or if small changes were going to need to be made. They also needed to discuss last night. Her cheeks flushed a deep red, but she ignored that for now, she had other things to brace herself for. Like the guild.

 

“Let’s go, Lucy.” Natsu threw open the door, waited for her to exit before shutting it behind him. The dragon slayer was still hesitant about his partner being alone, or taking missions that would split them up in any way. He also wasn’t sure if he cared for her walking to the guild by herself either. Obviously, he would need to reel in the obviously problematic feelings he was experiencing, but at the same time Succubus Eye could still have stragglers out there, and they could still be aiming for Lumen Histoire.

 

They might even have some bitter feelings for Lucy about their guild being obliterated. Even if Jellal swore to the moon and back that it was over he couldn’t believe it. Until he saw it with his own eyes Lucy wasn’t safe, and he had to protect her with everything he had. Not just that but something in the back of his mind was bothering him. He couldn’t remember, but he had something he was supposed to talk to Lucy about. Natsu swore internally before shaking his head to clear the thought. He’d worry about it later.

 

The two bolted down the riverside pathway that lead them from her apartment to the guild, with Happy following above them in the skies. It wouldn’t be long until they’d reach the guild, and by then she’d need to be able to keep it together long enough to at least grab a job flyer. Although, knowing her partner he’d just grab one, and tell her to hurry up and follow. Which would be just fine with her. The fewer questions she had to answer the better. There was an awkward silence hovering between the three while they made their way to Fairy Tail, and she could only hope that would fade after time.

 

Fairy Tail loomed before them, and for Natsu, it was certain to feel like home but to the blonde, it was a catastrophe waiting to happen. So, she approached delicately, entering through those wide double doors with a hope that she wouldn’t be bombarded. The first thing she noticed was that Erza was missing, and so was Gray. Erza must have had a lot to discuss with Jellal.

 

Even though the relationship was complicated, and she sometimes wasn’t even sure there was one that didn’t mean that the two didn’t miss each other. Erza hadn’t seen Jellal in six months so it was no surprise that the two might want to spend some quality time together before he set back out on the road. Gray being missing was another story altogether, but with the missing water mage being factored in she could only imagine what those two were up to. Otherwise, the guild was normal.

 

Mira was serving up a pair of beers to Macao, and Wakaba, while Natsu started up a fight with Gajeel. She felt her breathing relax and wondered if she had ever really left. It was the same as it had always been.

 

“Lu!” she knew that voice anywhere, and she immediately whirled around with her arms wide open.

 

“Levy!” she screamed, and the two embraced in a long tight hug. Come to think of it Levy was at the very end of her second trimester when she had left, and she wondered briefly if she was in her third now.

 

“Oh thank Mavis, Lu. I was sooo worried about you. Are you okay? What about your injuries? Maybe you should take more time to rest.” Levy wasn’t a mother yet, but she was halfway there with the tone she had taken, and the nagging, but that didn’t bother the celestial mage one bit. She loved Levy to death. The blue haired pixie couldn’t scare her if she tried.

 

“I’m fine Levy. No lasting injuries here. I’d love to rest, but I’ve got to catch up on rent. I’m already a month behind.” She whined loudly. Had Natsu chosen a job yet? She should check since he and Gajeel had gone zero to one hundred real quick.

 

“Natsu didn’t tell you? He paid your rent for last month, but I suppose this month is due any day now.”

 

“YOU look due any day now. Should you be moving around so much?” he hadn’t told her, but with other things to worry about that would have to be on the bottom of the list. She’d just pay him back when she had the jewels to do so.

 

“Oh, I’m fine Lu. I’m not due for another month. Porlyusica even said I should be moving around to help with the birthing later.” Well, if Porlyusica said, then who was Lucy to disagree. It still made her incredibly on edge to see the small mage with a belly the size of a prize-winning watermelon. She stifled the urge to usher her to a chair and force her to sit.

 

“As long as Porlyusica approved it. Still, be careful Levy.”

 

“Of course, Lu. Thanks for worrying.” The blunette glanced over at the two squabbling dragon slayers. Who knows what those two were getting into, but if Levy had to guess from the look on Natsu’s face than Gajeel was probably teasing him about his blonde partner again. Levy sighed loudly, before waddling on over to the two.

 

“I’m telling you to just –” the pierced mage stopped mid-sentence as the two girls approached. He immediately moved to Levy’s side and seemed to be in a slight panic. “Were you okay with the stairs? I can carry you back down. You should sit down, and rest.”

 

Natsu huffed, before holding up a poster for a monster exterminating job. Giant Ogre. _Nice_ , she thought. It would do. It was a good starting missing to jump back into. It was nearly at the same level as the first mission she ever went on with Natsu.

 

“I thought this would be a good one.” He had chosen this mission very carefully. It was high enough on the reward that Lucy was sure enough to accept but low enough to suggest that it would be a relatively easy mission. It was a giant ogre, but with their skill level, it would be a cinch for them to handle especially with their teamwork. Also, there was no way he couldn’t keep her safe. He smirked at his own genius.

 

Meanwhile, Lucy found herself concerned regarding his facial expression. It wasn’t long before the pinkette was snickering to himself about something that Lucy wasn’t fully sure she knew. She could guess, but it was unlikely to work out in her favour if she was right or not. So, she did what any other calculating deviant would do: she let it go. For now anyway.

 

“How does this one look?” the fire mage was concerned by her lack of immediate response, and he considered briefly that maybe it was too soon for her to be back out in the field. Maybe, just maybe, they should stay in. Watch a movie on the lacrima at Lucy’s house. He shied away from that idea almost immediately. They had responsibilities. He had to feed himself, and Happy, and Lucy had to take care of rent. He really wished he’d saved up more so that she could just take it easy for a bit. Although, knowing Lucy she would have fought tooth and nail so that he couldn’t pay for anything. That was who she was, but he still wasn’t sure this was a good idea.

 

“It works. It reminds me of when we went to Mt. Hakobe to find old man Macao.” She smirked, and the two briefly remembered their trip to the mountain.

 

“Yeah. You were whining the whole time about how cold it was. Man, you were annoying.”

 

“Hey! Not all of us can be giant space heaters, Natsu. I’m not a yeti for Mavis’ sake.” The blonde argued. It was as though this man didn’t understand what snow was. The dragon slayer threw his arm over her shoulders and tugged her close before dragging her towards the door.

 

“Are ya sure?” he stared, his face strangely serious. The only thing that convinced her he was just joking around with her was his soft emerald eyes staring into her own caramel. A soft rose crept across her cheeks, and immediately she couldn’t hold her own laughter in any longer. Her laughter rang out around the guild, and she was too busy to notice the entire guild calm down. Any tension in the air eased around them, and Fairy Tail began to feel like her true home again. Having everyone tiptoe around her was just too exhausting, and it felt much better this way.

 

“Oh no. You caught me. The truth is…” she paused strictly for dramatic effect, and placed the back of her hand on her forehead and the palm of her other over her heart. “I am…” another pause. “Your worst nightmare!” she screamed jumping at the pinkette in an attempt to knock him over.

 

“Luuuuuuuuce! Get off of me! You’re…” he paused, raising an eyebrow at her. “Heavy.” He sighed loudly, throwing himself to the ground with a cry that was most certainly unlike him.

 

“Cat pile!” screamed the blue exceed, dropping himself on top of the blonde and the dragon slayer. Laughter poured out from the original team Natsu which made it seem as though Lucy had never left. Lucy pushed her body up from Natsu’s to hover above him briefly. To him, her grin was the sun and he couldn’t be happier to see it again. He seemed out of character as a blush crawled across sharp cheekbones.

 

It was all he could do to try and calm his sparking nerves while staring into the eyes of his dearest friend and most trusted comrade. He felt as though he was coming to the same revelation as last night, and his mind immediately screamed in terror.

 

The dragon slayer was unaccustomed to the fear gripping his heart as he realized that the feelings he had about his partner had changed over the course of their friendship. He rested his rough, worn hands on her hips with the gentlest motion. He hovered there when a sudden heat flared in his gut. He pushed her from on top of him as he sat up, and with his signature large grin, he stood.

 

“Let’s go, Lucy! Our mission won’t wait forever!” he held a hand out to her, and she took it without hesitation. She trusted this man with everything she had, and the fear that had tinged the back of her mind faded quickly. There was no reason for her to be afraid when she was with him. They had each other’s back no matter what. The pair raced out the guild doors hand in hand to their next adventure.

 

Lucy’s heart threatened to crash through her chest as they raced through the streets of Magnolia to the edge of the forest. The celestial mage had been in denial for nearly three years now. One of them she had spent yearning for Natsu’s return, though she hadn’t really believed that he’d actually come back. Why? Strictly because he’d left. She had no other reason for thinking he’d never come home because she had never realized there was an option that he’d leave.

 

The second year was the one they’d spent in a war with Alvarez. The rescue of their master, the revival of Fairy Tail, the war with Alvarez, and then the nights they spent together reminiscing about their many missions, and every near-death experience they’d had together. How they egged each other on and teased, but most of all the nights where he made sure she ate properly or took a break while she was writing her novel. She had missed those moments.

 

The third was when they’d come back from their 100-year quest to take a break after a year on the road, and visit the guild. They missed their family after all plus Natsu and Gray truly needed a moment away from each other. Nearly six months into the mission and the two could barely keep their fists off each other. So, here they were.

 

Of course, they’d be leaving to go back to their quest, but in the meantime, she had needed to figure out what Natsu was to her. Sure, he was her best friend, her partner, her trusted confidant, but something had stirred over the years. She hadn’t been sure what it was until last night while she laid beside him, and the only thought on her mind was how she’d always be safe if he was next to her.

 

Then, she thought about what would happen if he started dating. She’d be happy if he was, but she also knew that while he’d never truly leave her behind that there would have to be priorities. They would no longer be able to be each other’s number one if they dated other people. While part of her would miss her friend, the other part of her screamed.

 

The animalistic part of her told her that he was hers, and nothing would change her mind. This was a turning point for her. With the green monster of jealousy tearing her mind down she realized she had needed time away from Natsu to gather her feelings, and to finally calm her own fears. That was when she went on her solo job, and that was also when she was thrown into a torture dungeon.

 

The scar on her chest seared in pain, and she winced briefly. She touched her free hand to her chest where the newfound scar stretched across her skin, and she wondered what she would do. She wondered what he would do when he saw it. He’d be enraged, but her mind screamed with the implications of what a relationship meant. Of the physical nature of a relationship with her best friend. She was no longer confident in her appearance or boastful in her own skin. Suddenly, they halted in the middle of the busy Magnolia sidewalk.

 

“What’s wrong?” it was Natsu’s voice tearing through her innermost demons.

 

“What do you mean?” he gave her a skeptical look, and with a click of his teeth, he stared at her.

 

“What do I mean? YOU clutched yer chest. I’m just worried somethin’ hurt.” He looked away from her. His features had hardened which meant he was pissed at her. The celestial mage knew exactly why.

 

Truly, he was mad at himself. He had been rushing her, because of monetary concerns and he was extremely irritated at this situation they had been placed in. He could have gone on his own. He could have secretly paid the rent with the landlady and had the Master force her to rest, but she was fucking stubborn.

 

She’d never stay still, and if he went on this mission alone then that meant that whatever stupid mission she took in the interim she’d be going alone. He couldn’t have that. He couldn’t have her going alone and getting hurt. Or worse. So, he rushed leaving for the mission. Truth be told it could’ve waited a few days. He was selfish and angry, and he NEEDED to fight something. So, in a brief moment of idiocy, he rushed choosing a mission. He rushed them into another dangerous scenario while she was probably still healing.

 

“I’m fine. They just ache sometimes. The cuts that is.” Not scars. Cuts. She convinced herself she was hiding it well, but she had no idea if that had worked. She just wanted everything to be normal. “We have a mission to do Natsu. It doesn’t hurt so it’s fine. I just want to get this job done.” She was hiding from her emotions behind jobs or anything other than what had happened to her.

 

Natsu found himself unsatisfied with the answer she’d provided. It hurt, and he knew that, but she was going to stubbornly deny that until she laid upon her deathbed. And then some. The celestial mage held his gaze for what seemed like an eternity before the pinkette finally averted his eyes effectively breaking their contact.

 

“For Mavis’ sake.” He muttered under his breath. “Fine. If ya won’t talk about it, I won’t press. Just don’t overdo it.” He pointed at her before crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“I’ll be careful.” She confirmed with him. He was her partner, and his concerns were her concerns, and if he was worried about her she should try to ease that worry.

 

It was nearly two hours of walking before they finally reached their destination. There they stood on the edge of a small town with just enough buildings to cover the necessities. There was a grocery store, and an all-purpose shopping centre, though she suspected the choices would be limited. Of course, there was also an inn, which was where they would stay the night after handling their monster extermination. Other than that, and then, of course, living spaces for the permanent residents, she didn’t really see any other distinct buildings.

 

There were small shops scattered in between the apartment buildings just like in Magnolia. Her eyes widened, and she let out a small whistle as they passed by a flower shop with several different kinds of orchids, roses, and lilies out front. She realized that there were probably more types inside, but there wasn’t time to be looking at the beautiful roses that they had now passed. They had clearly been grown with love and proper care which was something you didn’t often see in the bigger cities. She made a quick mental note to take a look at the other shops on their way home.

 

Lucy stopped in the middle of the town. Something had seemed off the entire trip, but her mind had been preoccupied with other matters such as battling her inner demons. Now, with a mostly clear mind, she had finally noticed what had been missing: Happy. She must be losing her damn mind if she’d forgotten about the cat, and not noticed that he hadn’t been following.

 

“Where’s Happy?” she questioned the dragon slayer who would definitely have some answer for her.

 

Natsu was less than pleased with the posed question, and his eyebrows knitted together in slight concern for his partner. However, he also knew that she would just fight him again. She’d just repeat that she was fine over and over so what was the point of starting another fight. Irritation boiled in his blood, however, she was expecting his answer.

 

“I asked him to stay behind. I figured we had some things to talk about, and it’d be easier this way so he’s staying with Lisanna and Mira.” He had mentioned it to her when they were leaving Magnolia, but as he had suspected she hadn’t heard him.

 

“Oh.” Was all she said. She wasn’t sure what else to say. Her heart lodged itself in her throat, and she couldn’t breathe for what felt like an eternity. Whatever it was he wanted to talk about she wasn’t sure if she was up for the conversation. She didn’t know if she was ready to talk about what had happened in the dungeon. The celestial mage had been truly hoping to avoid showing her scars as long as possible.

 

Natsu’s mind clicked, and he finally remembered what he had been meaning to do since this morning.

 

“I forgot!” he announced to her in the middle of a bustling street while digging through his pockets. His fingers wrapped around metal, and he was nearly 100% certain that was the item he was looking for.

 

“Here.” He held the Key of the Lion to her, and he gave her his largest toothy grin. “You were worried about him, right? We found him after the explosion I just forgot to give it back to ya.”

 

Lucy’s eyes widened, and she teared up ever so slightly while her slender fingers picked up her guildmates key. She ignored the spark that flowed where the skin of her fingers and his palm touched and focused solely on her returned spirit. _Thank Mavis,_ she thought to make sure to secure his key to her pouch. They were on a mission so there wasn’t much time to check in now, but she would make sure to do so later.

 

“Thank you. He didn’t cause any trouble did he?” she began to laugh, and to Natsu, the sound was like a soft melody caressing his ears. When she laughed like that he felt like his troubles melted away.

 

The spirit mage stopped as the grin that crossed Natsu’s face caught her off guard. It was soft, and tender while the look in his eyes conveyed only happiness. The skin on her cheeks felt like they were threatening to melt off from the fire that littered her face. She wanted nothing more than to disappear right then and there before the embarrassment could take her. This boy would be the goddamn death of her if she wasn’t careful.

 

“Well! We’ve got an ogre to slay!” she attempted to avoid any mention of the blush on her cheeks or the way her heart threatened to rip itself from her chest with the rate it was beating at. She hoped he couldn’t hear the beating, and prayed he wouldn’t mention the colour of her skin.

 

“Ohhh! Yer raring to go, huh. Alright, let’s do it!” he smirked, and punched his fist into his hand. It was go time. The pair rushed forward into the woods on the far south side of the town they needed to protect without any hesitation. The two were confident in their skills as a team so they knew there was no need to be afraid. Still, as ready as the two were to fight it took nearly an hour to find the damn thing.

 

Lucy crouched in the bushes as her loud mouth partner launched himself from the trees on the other side of the clearing. Flames fanned out from his arms as he threw out a wing attack, and then with a twist in mid-air he swung his flaming heel into the ogre’s forehead. Good. It was distracted. The ogre was stumbling in her direction just as the duo had planned, and it was time for her attack. She bolted from her current position into the clearing before positioning herself at the left side of the ogre. _It was time,_ she thought with a smirk crossing her lips.

 

She held her golden key to her chest, “Tau-“ she stopped mid-sentence with a hitch in her breath. _Taurus’ stardress._ He was the best in this situation since it would be best to use brute force. That would have to wait. She replaced Taurus’ key to her belt and immediately flashed through every stardress in her mind to find the one that revealed her chest the least. She had one option.

 

The ogre was closer than she realized, and it was pretty clear that she was going to be taking a beating. She threw her arms up in defence, and the ogre’s large forearm came crashing towards her. The plan was ruined, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her. She’d take the hit, and then in her Cancer stardress she would provide back up to Natsu. It wasn’t ideal by any means, but the options were limited.

 

“Luuuuuuucy!” it was Natsu’s scream. The one he made every time he thought she was going to get hurt. It was the tone filled with rage, and thick with fear. He was scared he’d lose her again. Before he had even realized it his feet were propelling him forward into the direct line of attack that was aimed at the blonde. His body was thrown into the trees, and large dust explosions from the destruction of nature showed the path he had taken.

 

The celestial mage was at a loss with herself. It was all her fault. If she’d just shown the damn scar then she could have used whatever stardress she wanted. She could have beat him down with the help of the added strength her Taurus form gave her just like the original plan. Now, she needed a plan on the fly. She bolted into the forest behind her causing the ogre to follow.

 

First, she fished out Cancer’s key and held to it tightly. She needed to get a distance between her, and Natsu so that he could recover without worry of attack. She cursed internally at her own idiocy. If she hadn’t been hiding things from her partner then he wouldn’t have gotten hit.

 

No, that wasn’t entirely true. Natsu would have jumped in even if she hadn’t been in imminent danger. He would have thrown himself at the ogre even if she had the whole thing handled. The truth is the partners were completely out of sync, and it had become a threat to their lives.

 

She turned on the balls of her right foot and threw her body to the left. Taking the sharp turn had thrown the ogre for a loop, and in its attempt to try and catch her it crashed to the ground. Good, she thought. She had to be careful about this as the next steps of her plan hinged on her making it back to the clearing. Preferably in one whole piece. She ducked under a tree branch as it came into view just narrowly avoiding clotheslining herself.

 

Still, a few stray twigs caught her flesh leaving small scratches on her cheeks, and one on her upper arm. That’s when it came into sight: the open clearing she and Natsu had started the fight in was right in front of her. She jumped and came crashing into the clearing. She slid in the slick grass a few feet before turning. The telltale sign of the ogre approaching was the way the ground shook beneath her from its massive steps. To her right, a flash of pink caught in her peripherals, and a smirk crossed her features. Natsu. It burst into the clearing with debris flying all around, and it’s angry roar bursting through the air.

 

With Cancer’s key against her chest, it was all about timing. So, she waited, and dear Mavis she hoped Natsu would trust her to know what she was doing. The pinkette stared from across the clearing, and when it became clear to him that she wasn’t moving even as the ogre was barreling towards her he moved into action.

 

“Fire Dragon’s Roar!” flames flared to life, and shot forth from his mouth, right as he partner sprang forward. His eyes widened, and a guttural scream ripped from his throat. He shot forward, but he knew he’d never make it on time.

 

“Cancer!” At the exact moment, his flames shot forth she moved into action. She hadn’t realized he was making his attack until she was already in midair. Her clothes had changed into what had a similar appearance to a kimono. She wore a long-sleeved shirt with small ribbons tied on her upper arms, and the fabric that covered the long sleeves was collared with the cancer sign on the very front. She had a thin ribbon tied at the neck, and a larger ribbon tied around her waist. Her hair was now held in high pigtails and held together with pinscher shaped clips. Her body came crashing down to the ogre, and with careful maneuvering she spiralled downward with the sharp edges of her blade carving into its skin.

 

It was at that moment that she caught sight of the flames headed her way. She had a split second of time to make her change before she was engulfed by the raging fire set forth by her partner. She let out a high pitched yelp and held up her arms in defence.

 

The pinkette stared in horror as his flames faded away to reveal a burnt to a crisp ogre. The mission had been completed, but at what cost? His eyes dripped with liquid, and his lips quivered. He wanted nothing more than to sob, but no sound would come from his throat, and his body would not move. He felt frozen in place. He’d lost her. Again. And this time it was all his fa—the blonde moved from behind the ogre and started her way across the clearing.

 

“What the hell were you doing, idiot!!” her voice sounded through the entire clearing as she approached the dragon slayer. He stared at her, and then rage filled him. Undeniable, insuppressible rage.

 

“No. What the hell were YOU doing!? You didn’t even move when he came running at you!” he gestured to the smoking mound of ogre that she had come out from, his voice cracking. He rubbed the tears from his eyes with his sleeved arm trying to fight the feeling of guilt with anything else.

 

“I had it handled. It was all about timing! I just needed him a step closer for my attack to work.” That’s when Lucy Heartfilia realized that her partner had thought he killed her. He thought he’d burned her to a bloody crisp. She paused. They weren’t in sync anymore. He was too worried about her, and she was too busy hiding from what had happened. They wouldn’t be able to work together if they both didn’t talk this out soon. She touched his hand, and he flinched nearly pulling back from her but she was quicker. Her fingers tangled with his own to keep him with her.

 

“I think we do need to talk.” He flinched at her words while his hand tightened on her own. She was warm and alive, and dear Mavis he was almost in tears again. He was so scared of anything that threatened her. He had known she had it in the clearing when the ogre charged her. He’d seen the glint in her eyes, but his body reacted on impulse to save her. His fear put her in danger.

 

Earlier though, when she’d deviated from the plan to use Taurus was when he realized that she was hiding a fear too. It was good that Happy hadn’t been here, because they really did need to have a serious conversation. Boy, did he hate those. She touched his shoulder – her fingers grazing the mark of Fairy Tail on his upper arm.

 

“I used Aquarius’ power.” She stated the fact, but somehow it calmed him immediately. He’d heard about the water barrier holding up against Jackal’s power, and since her skin was burn free it kept him from panicking any further.

 

“You’re not in her stardress.” She was currently in her original outfit from when she’d left the apartment that morning.

 

“It’s hard to hold that form for long without her key.” She’d actually found Aquarius’ key in a small shop right before her job with the undercover Succubus Eye guild. With her mind preoccupied with Natsu, and the job she hadn’t made a contract and the water bearer was at home in her desk. She’d also prolonged making the contract because she was nervous to see her old friend again.

 

She still did harbour a bit of guilt at destroying her key. It also wasn’t entirely true that she couldn’t hold the form without Aquarius’ key. She could, it was just that the form required her to use her own magic, and she wasn’t aided by the spirits’ magic like she was with the other contracted keys.

 

He opted to believe her even though a small part of him was absolutely without a doubt certain that she was hiding something from him. But, she said they would talk. So, that’s what he would do. He would talk, and he would ask questions.

 

“Alright let’s just get back to the inn. We need to talk.” His hand gripped hers tightly, and they walked back to the village in silence. They’d have to brief the Mayor in the morning, but for right now it was time to talk, and sleep.

 

It wasn’t long before they arrived at the front lobby of the inn. Natsu was leaning heavily on his partner now. He’d taken quite the hit from the ogre, and his joints were finally feeling it. Once he loosened the muscles with a bath he should be fine but until then he’d be a walking, groaning mess.

 

“Hi! Welcome to Starlight Inn, my name is Lina. How can I help?” the girl’s smile was fake, but Lucy decided not to dwell on that.

 

“Hi. We need one room with two beds.” She hadn’t realized they’d be arriving so late, and the Inn had 10 rooms total. She sent a prayer to Mavis that they’d be able to get a room at all.

 

“We have a single room with one bed.” Was the response the front desk agent replied with.

 

Boy, the world was sinister today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:  
> Chapter 5 should be done within the next 10 to 15 minutes and posted up here. It won't be long, but with chapter five that closes out the series. Next chapter is a smidge NSFW and the A/N will go over that in detail  
> As always my tumblr link is below and you can view all of my current works, plus excerpts of one shots. I have a billion NaLu one shots that I havent posted on here and ill be honest with you there are so many i dont know if i want to go through the effort to do that  
> lmao im just lazy??? sorry my dudes
> 
> [kurokamine](https://www.kurokamine.tumblr.com)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: Friction  
> Pairing: NaLu  
> Summary: A simple job meant to take her mind off things, becomes more than Lucy bargained for as she tries to make sense of her feelings for her salmon haired partner.  
> Rating: M; Mature themes ahead - Ages 18+!  
> None of these characters are owned by me, they are all owned by the wonderful Hiro Mashima!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Welcome to chapter 5. So, we’ve reached the end of Friction with this chapter.  
> So, in this fiction because I guess I never really mentioned it but the year is X794 which means Lucy and friends should be around 20. Excluding Natsu whose like 400+ lmao. That’s excluding the 7 year time skip because realistically they’re just a bunch of awkward 20 year olds doing their best because they were frozen in time for like ever. Also, I’ve been doing like a lot of changes to my writing style through this fic so it’s probably not incredibly consistent.  
> Trigger Warnings: Sexual Content. Sort of. Fluff/Sexual but not like lemon. Just lime??? Mild I guess lol. Heavy petting??????????

“That works. It’s just for the night anyway.” The pinkette muttered from her shoulder where he leaned against her back. If she delayed getting to the room any longer than she knew the dragon slayer would start to do more than just gripe. She was convinced the brute would trample her to get to the room. He always got riled when his muscles were stiff, and it became hard to move. Something about constricted movements bothered him, and she could certainly understand that.

 

“Alright. We’ll take it.” An exasperated sigh escaped her lips, as her partner weighed down on her back, and forced her to take on more of his weight. It wouldn’t be long now.

 

“Great!” the barkeep moved around behind the cracked wood of the bar, and the blonde could hear the clang of keys plus the shuffling of papers. “Ah! Here we go.” She returned to them, and held out the skeleton key for what Lucy assumed was their room.

 

“Your room is number 7. Upstairs.” Lina pointed to the wooden staircase on the far right-hand side of the main hall. The set up felt similar to the guild back in Magnolia so Lucy felt comfortable in the atmosphere which was the first step for what she’d need to talk about tonight. She turned to face the stairs, and make sure that she knew exactly where they were.

 

“Thanks, Lina.” The celestial mage gave the woman a grateful nod, and with the key tight in her grip, she turned around. This had become incredibly difficult with the fire mage hanging from her back like a sack of potatoes. All she had to do was make it to the stairs, and then to their room. There were several mages gathered around a large table in the middle of the large open floor plan, and they all shouted congratulations, and clanked their beers together. That’s when she saw him. Her heart skipped a beat, and the sound of a whip echoed in her ears.

 

“Have fun~” Lina hummed as she poured another round of beers for the table at the center. She hadn’t realized that the blonde mage was no longer listening, nor was she even mentally there. The sounds all around Lucy had faded into nothing, and there was only silence, and him. Her caramel eyes focused on his features as she prayed she had seen wrong. As she desperately prayed to Mavis that it was just another vision. Another attack. Her breathing stopped as the panic settled like a deep chill in her bones.

 

“Lu—”

 

“—cy”

 

“—ou –kay”

 

“Lucy!!” she flinched, and a shiver shot up her spine before her entire body finally began to register sound again.

 

“S-Sorry..?” she looked towards the dragon slayer, and all she could see were the worried lines in his expression, and the dark depths of onyx in his eyes. The darkening of his iris could only mean one thing, and that thing was trouble if she didn’t placate quick enough.

 

“Are you okay, Luce?” she was relieved when the weight of her partner’s body was removed from her tense shoulders. He still had his arm around her shoulder, but this time he was crushing her body into his flank. This was a protective stance. His gaze was no longer on her, and when she followed his line of sight she found that it had laid on the man she was staring at previously.

 

Now that she was calm and had a closer look at him he wasn’t who she thought he’d been. For a second, the face she had seen was the man who’d held her in a dungeon and whipped her bloody. This man, while they shared a few similar features, was not the same mage. They had the same rigid nose, and the same blue eyes, but they weren’t the same person. Finally, her lungs could breathe again.

 

“Yeah. Sorry, I thought he was someone I knew, but I was wrong.” She laughed it off, and for once the sound that came from those soft pink lips was one filled with calm. It had been a while since she or Natsu had heard her so at peace, and a smile came to his features.

 

“It’s fine, it’s fine! Let’s just go up.” With his arm tight around her shoulders, he tugged her with him through the small crowd, and past the table of mages that he was actually still wary of. Lucy’s skin had always been pale, but the moment she’d laid eyes on that man he saw her drop two shades paler. Her entire demeanour changed and he watched her drop from the teammate he knew so well to someone foreign to him. Natsu hadn’t seen that look on her face since their fight with Master Hades.

 

His gaze left them and settled directly on the crown of the blonde’s head. He focused on the scent of dirt, and magic that drenched her skin. There wasn’t a way to pull her any closer than she already was, but he knew that if he could have then he would have.

 

“Oi, Natsu. It’s hard to walk like this.” Lucy whined from his side. Natsu snickered but loosened his grip on her ever so slightly.

 

“But, Luuu~ce.” His voice started with a false whine. “I’m just so tired!” and then he was leaning all of his weight on his partner again.

 

“Natsu!” the blond groaned loudly as she tried to carry him up the stairs to no avail. “You have your own legs!” she insisted, flailing under his weight.

 

“But yours are so much better!” he barked out laughter, but relented and brought his weight back on his own legs. He started moving up the steps again when he caught sight of her face he froze.

 

Lucy knew she was bright red like a cooked lobster, and she was a solid 7 on the nervous scale, but by Mavis, she was going to try something. She hopped up the steps, and with a coy smile, she set her plan into motion.

 

“Yes. They are.” Then she was in front of him before turning abruptly to face him. “But—” she gave him a once-over, then pursed her lips. “You’re not so bad yourself. _Hot_ stuff.” She winked. Then, she was turned and bolting up the stairs for their room. _‘Oh, Mavis what did I just do.’_ Her mind screamed in tangent with her emotions.

 

Natsu’s eyes widened, and he felt the heat crawling up his neck, and caressing the tips of his ears. That girl would be the death of him he decided. Right there on those steps Natsu Dragneel, son of the Fire Dragon King, swore that the beautiful blonde would be the death of him.

 

“You know. Hot stuff, because fire magic, and—It wasn’t – I didn’t” she was flustered. He could hear her heart thudding in her chest as she tried to remain calm under what he assumed was a mistake. He resisted the urge to touch her as he met her at the top of the steps.

 

“So, room 7.” He cleared his throat and looked to his left. He spotted 6 at the very end of the hall, and then 8 right across from it. So, it had to be on their right.

 

“There it is.” Lucy was already approaching the room at the very end of the hall now. A gold number 7 was nailed to the door, and a turn of the key revealed that they were definitely in the right room. Great. They both needed to relax, and according to today’s events, they needed to have a chat. Personally, neither mages were excited about that event, but their teamwork had suffered and almost gotten them both killed.

 

She slid through the open door of the hotel room to meet a large open space. It was different than she had expected for an inn in a small town. Sure it was two stories, but the view from outside the building seemed smaller than the interior. In the center of the room was a queen size bed with bedside tables on either side. There was a single light for the sleeping area in the center of the ceiling which was currently turned off. The sun had already set so now they would have to find the lacrima that would be controlling the lighting of the room. In the dark. She groaned in annoyance.

 

“Whatever! No problem at all.” Natsu’s fist lit with fire, and flickering shadows covered the entire room. It wasn’t bright, but she was able to spot the lacrima near the curtain separating the sleeping area from the bathroom.

 

“Aha!” the blonde cheered and ran over to it. She swiped her index finger up on the smooth crystalline surface which cast a bright light over the entire room. She pushed the curtain of the bathroom with the back of her hand revealing the small bathroom. Suddenly, it occurred to her why the living area was so spacious: they skimped on the bathroom. She sighed, as she realized it would be cramped for her, and that meant even worse news for Natsu.

 

“The bathroom is pretty small.” A groan sounded from the bed as her partner realized that small to Lucy meant even smaller for him.

 

“This is what I get for choosing a mission in a small town. Of course, the inn, and the bathroom would be small.” He was grumbling under his breath now, but he also found himself becoming angry again. Images flashed showing every scene of their battle with the ogre, and the undeniable near-loss they both sustained. His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles had a tinge of white, and red. Which wasn’t entirely abnormal for him, but it was slightly different from his skin which was closer to the shade of dark oak.

 

He just needed a bath to soothe his aching joints, and the raging fire burning in his chest at the thought of that stupid ogre, but mostly his own stupidity. And hers. Who deviates from the plan mid-fight!? You only deviate from the plan if it’s forced, but everything was going perfectly up until her change.

 

“I’ll work with it. It’s fine.” He sighed loudly while standing from his place on the ground, and entering the bathroom.

 

“I’ll go after you then.” Lucy was already heading for the small chair in the corner by the window. It was a good enough spot for reading, and she’d brought one of her favourite books with her. She needed a perfectly mindless task while she summoned up all of her courage in preparation for her next step.

 

“No way!” the celestial mage muttered with her eyes glued to the page she was on. She was so engrossed in her book that when her partner tapped her on the shoulder she nearly screamed, and jumped out of her own skin. “What the hell, Natsu!?” she was breathing heavily now with her heart threatening to explode.

 

“It’s your turn.” He pointed a thumb towards the bathroom where steam was still flowing. With a peek, she noticed that he’d fully drained the tub, and all she’d have to do is fill it again to enjoy a good soak. She sighed with relief and started running the bath water. While the tub filled she took a seat in front of Natsu who was digging in his pack for… something. What that something was she wouldn’t know.

 

She kept her own items in his pack as well, and sometimes she wondered if she shouldn’t just get her own. The blonde found that she didn’t want to for one simple reason: she’d have to carry it. As lazy as that sounded it was easier to have Natsu carry their items so that she’d actually be able to keep up with that crazed demon.

 

“Found it!” she looked up as he shoved the pack to the side, and held up a set of playing cards. “I thought that after we talk we can play a game!” that wide grin with his canines showing graced his features, and she found her worries soothed. She felt… comforted.

 

“Why don’t we start talking now.” She shifted her body to sitting in front of him and then curled her legs to her chest. “Do you trust me?” it was barely above a whisper but she knew he’d heard her from the way the grin dropped from his face, and his body stilled.

 

“I—” he paused to think of the next words to say. His partner would surely take this pause badly, but he needed to think his words through for this conversation. “I trust ya, but today. Today you were reckless.” His voice was not a whisper. He was mad, and it showed in the tone he was using.

 

“You deviated from the plan! And then for whatever reason, you hesitated. It was like you couldn’t decide what to do!” when his shouting finally stopped he was breathing heavily. It was funny that the roles were reversed. This conversation was so eerily similar to the one they had before she left that she almost laughed at the irony.

 

“I did.” She didn’t deny it, but she also knew he wasn’t done. She’d let him finish, and then she’d show him.

 

“It was stupid! You coulda gotten hurt, or worse! You almost did get hurt! I almost hurt you!” his tirade went on until he once again had to catch his breath. Lucy stayed silent. She had no excuse, well not one she would out right now, and he still needed to get his fears off his chest.

 

“What would have happened if you got hurt, or.. or died.” He flashed back to Future Lucy at that moment. He flashed back to his powerlessness and how she’d had to take the hit for the Lucy that was currently right in front of his eyes. The Lucy that had lived. He couldn’t stand to watch her lose her life again. When she disappeared it had really cemented in him that he could really truly lose her. The dragon slayer’s heart had clenched every day that she was missing, and he hadn’t found her.

 

“I can’t lose you.” He mumbled softly, and Lucy had nearly missed what he had said. Her cheeks warmed, and she knew his tirade was over now.

 

“Natsu, I’m sorry. I have my reasons for why I was so conflicted during battle today. I’ll explain it later, I promise. I have some concerns too.” She started softly and watched his features to check how well he’d received her statement. He was staring intently with dark eyes, and she knew he wouldn’t interrupt her.

 

“I know I didn’t show it today, but you need to trust me like I trust you. Otherwise, our team will fail again.” He knew she was right. They’d fail over, and over. Today, he hadn’t trusted her. Even though he had seen the determination in her eyes, and even though he knew she’d have a plan. She’d even seen him, and she’d smiled as she readied her attack. But he’d jumped in. He hadn’t trusted her skill, and she hadn’t been upfront with him. Both of them had lost sync with each other.

 

“I have something I need to show you. But! First, a bath.” She stood quickly. As Lucy had expected the bath water was full and ready for use. She shut off the water and proceeded with her bath. She cleaned every bit of skin on her body before sinking into the warm water. The celestial mage was still battling internally with every fibre of her being. Should she show him? She should. She could just tell him. He’d see it eventually. Somehow, her mind circled back to showing him. She got the feeling that she’d still be left with a fear of showing her skin if all she did was mention it was there.

 

The bath water crashed in small waves as the blonde stood. The water dripped from her skin and splashed into the full tub below her. The time was now. She’d lose her courage if she didn’t act. Still, she was dripping water all over the bathroom, and it wouldn’t hurt to at least dry off. She ran the soft cotton over her body and then began to dry her hair with a soft patting motion. She’d brush it when she got to Natsu’s backpack.

 

The thought of being naked in the bright light of the room did nothing to curb her anxiety so her solution was to dim the lights. She reached out from behind the curtain to draw a slender finger down the smooth surface. With the lights successfully dimmed, she stepped out of the bathroom with her towel left on the floor near the tub.

 

The pinkette turned at the sound of water dripping but tried to pay no mind to it, that is until a hand peeked out from behind the curtain and dimmed the light. Holy shit. While this was definitely one of his fantasies he didn’t think this was really the time for whatever action she was about to take. He was still tense with their conversation, and the realization that her disappearance had thrown him for a loop. Her every action was suddenly a threat to his sanity. In more ways than one.

 

His throat dried instantly, and his heart nearly stopped beating as she slinked out from behind the curtain. There she stood in the dim light of the room in the nude. Her skin glistened still damp from the bath, and her hair still dripped with water though it was messy from trying to dry it. She was breathtaking, he realized. This must be a part of loving someone. Everything they do in some way will drive you insane. Still, for what purpose she was doing this he still didn—his brain stopped. Thoughts were no longer processing. Veins were popping out of his forehead, and he imagined that his eyes were an unforgiving shade of darkness.

 

“That scar—” his voice was deep with uncontained rage, and flames licked his skin. He’d have to destroy them. Obliterate them. He’d find any member of Succubus Eye. Someone had to have escaped, and he’d take them down.

 

“Natsu.” Her voice was soft, and it began to lull him into a false sense of calm. He wasn’t going to lose that rage now. From her left hip, and diagonally across to her right shoulder was pink puckered skin. It was fresh, and it had the fire blazing before he’d even known what happened. Curse them. Curse them to hell and back. He stood slowly and began to approach her, but she held up a single hand to stop him.

 

“Natsu. Look at me.” It was a demand. “Really look at me.” But he was looking at her. No, that’s wrong. He was looking at it like it was glaring him in the face. He’d failed to protect her, and look what had happened. He’d failed.

 

She’d thought this would happen, and with every passing second, the flames licking his skin grew larger and more ferocious. What could she do now other than let him ride the rage of his own flames? He was staring so intently, and she fought the urge to cover her chest. Of course, her scar was glaringly obvious. She knew that, but still, her self-esteem took a hit. She turned her head away, and her lower lip quivered. She bit into it, drawing a tinge of blood, but she didn’t release her grip.

 

That’s when he gave pause. There he was enraged at something he couldn’t hit away. Succubus Eye was destroyed by Crime Sorciere. That was all there was to it. He might someday cross paths with the man who hurt his best friend, but right now the only person he should punch is himself. So he did. He raised his fist in the air, and then it connected hard against his cheek. That would be sure to leave a mark.

 

“Sorry. I was being an idiot. No matter what Lucy is Lucy. That scar is your war wound! Look, I have plenty.” He gestured to his bare torso and is occurred to Lucy right then that he was wearing nothing but a pair of skin-tight boxers. They were black. His abs tensed at the movement of his body, and she could have collapsed right there.

 

“This one—” he pointed to the x-shaped scar on his abdomen, “is my pride. I got this one by fighting Future Rogue. I fought him to avenge you, but also to save our future.” He gestured to the one on his cheek “This one I got fighting Zeref. The idiot tryin’ to take over the world. I did it for our future.” He stepped toward her with slow, and deliberate motions. His thumb grazed over the scarring on her shoulder, “Yours is from fighting to stay alive. No matter what they did, you survived. This scar is proof ya lived. It’s proof you saved your future. You’re just like me.”

 

His gaze was soft, and eyes the shade of hickory met emerald orbs a shade of green she’d never seen before. Truly it was like a breath of fresh air or chewing a piece of gum the flavour of spearmint. She froze at the depths of emotions that danced in his iris. Worry, fear, but mostly, love. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment she wondered where this would lead. His index finger traced her scar until he reached the top of her right breast, which is exactly where he pulled away.

 

Her cheeks seared with the heat of a thousand suns, and it was as though Natsu had never touched her a day in her life until that moment. Her skin was painted in the shade of a rose she had only ever seen once in the spring while the small town celebrated a festival. It flowed over her cheeks to the tips of her ears. His skin left her own, and while she was grateful for the relief, she was also yearning for his touch.

 

Natsu’s hand hovered in the air, and by Mavis he was scared. His own face was the colour of his fire, and all he wanted was to meet her skin with his own again. Her scar didn’t scare him as much as her fear of her own battle wound did. She was so scared to show this mark that she nearly died over it. She was an idiot, but so was he. He’d nearly burned her from his own lack of trust. He reached out tentatively to touch her skin again, and when she didn’t say anything, nor stop him his fingers brushed over the scar like a soft feather of a bird.

 

“Thank you.” She was grinning ear to ear, and he thought that if time just paused right there he’d be content. Her happiness was his happiness. He moved to take his hand from her shoulder, but she caught it in her own and laced their fingers together while their palms connected. His were rough and weathered from the many fights they had been through in the passing years. He even had small lines that littered his skin from the damage he’d taken happily for his team. Hers also had small pale lines where she’d fought with everything she had in her to protect her team. Still, her nails didn’t have chips in them, and her hands were soft against his own. She held their intertwined fingers between their bodies while she been to squirm.

 

“Hey, Natsu. You know, I heard you the other night.” He froze. He’d thought she was asleep. Her breathing had been soft, and the rise and fall of her chest had been steady. There was no way to tell she’d even been awake. He cursed internally, wondering if this had put a dent in their friendship. He wanted things to stay the same with Lucy at his side, and Happy in the air above them. The trio that would never part. He felt as if there were no way to get air into his body, and as if everything around him had come to a screeching halt.

 

“I—I meant it as—I’m so—” she cut him off there by pressing her entire body into his. If he thought she was the death of him before, then by Mavis she was his own personal Grim Reaper. The plush skin of her breasts pressed into his chest, and her hips pressed into his. Her long blonde tresses hung free and shone in the dim light like the rays of a sunset spreading across the sky. Her hand untangled from his own and then gripped his palm. Her thumb ran over the swirls and patterns of his skin before she pulled it to her lips. Her pink, soft, puckered lips. Then, a light kiss was pressed into his palm.

 

“These hands have always protected me. They’ve always done everything they can to save the guild and the team. I love you too, Natsu.” He’d always been there to save her, and while today was an epic failure she had no doubt they’d be fine. They always were.

 

Natsu’s mind was torn between screaming in excitement and screaming in fear. He loved this girl, but their friendship was sacred to him. To lose her, because this somehow didn’t work out nearly devastated his mind. This was Lucy. His Lucy. He’d trust her. He’d trust them.

 

His arms tightened around her in an embrace he hoped he’d never forget. This was the day of their confession to one another. This was a special day, if there was some kind of significant item involved he’d pin it to his wall. He was sentimental like that. He raked his fingers through blonde tresses, and while he gently fought her tangles he wanted nothing more to continue touching her. In the dimmed light her hair shone like a setting sun across the sky. Some strands shining orange to mimic the lighting above them, and others a shadowed pale yellow. Then, it happened. A soft press of lips touched his chest. He released her and found the blonde staring at her own feet. To see the celestial mage silent, and oh so nervous was new to him. She always had something to say.

           

She raised a single hand to his cheek, and her thumb caressed the patch of skin where his own fist had connected. He winced, and she realized it must hurt. The idiot probably used more force than was actually necessary. Her features were graced with the smallest smile, and her cheeks were flushed with a bright red. She lifted to her toes with a fluid motion and pressed her lips to his. They were rough, and chapped, but also gentle when they pushed into hers. He pulls back, and their breath mingles for a single second before those lips press into hers again.

 

Lucy’s breath hitched in her throat, and heat pooled in her abdomen. Touching him, and kissing him, was throwing her off her game. She hadn’t been intimate with a man ever, and here she was swooning in the arms of the man she loved. And he loved her. He loved her even though she could be snobby, stubborn, and sometimes violent. He loved her with her scar, and he loved her for her strength to keep going. She pressed into his body as reassurance, and their lips met again. Soon, she was gasping for air, and it was like a battlefield. Who could make the other stop first, except neither wanted to stop.

 

They pulled apart with gasps of air following the movement. The two were wide-eyed like a deer caught in the headlights, except the headlights were the emotions rushing through them like a tidal wave. They stayed still for several moments as though they weren’t sure what move to take next, and by Mavis, they truly didn’t know. Natsu was busy scanning his memories of Gildarts while hoping that the dirty old man had told him something useful during one of their many fishing trips. He latched onto one. It had been during the year he was training, and they’d met in the mountains. They ended up camping together for one night before parting in the morning. Under the silver lighting of the slivered moon, and the stars burning like the embers of a dying fire in the night sky he’d listened to Gildarts with faint interest.

 

At the time he hadn’t even been thinking of the man who had been like an absentee father figure to him. He’d been thinking of her. She had often looked at the stars blanketing the night sky when he stayed the night. Sometimes when she thought he was already asleep she’d slink over to her desk, and all he could hear was the scratching of the nib of her quill on paper. And still, he knew she would stare at the night sky. He was hoping at that moment that they were both looking at the twinkling of the night’s stars that she believed in wholeheartedly.

 

Gildarts had broken him from his trance with one single word: Sex. He still remembered with extreme detail of the conversation they’d had that day, but he’d never imagined he’d actually need it. He gulped loudly as his mind came back to the present time, and the girl standing in front of him had her chest covered with her face flushed in embarrassment. Was he supposed to make a move??? He’d make a move.

 

His callused hands took hers, and the roughness of his palm made her shiver. They suited him she came to realize. The hands holding her own had worked harder than anyone just to meet his father, and to protect his friends. Once again she was smiling, but then again if it was Natsu she always smiled. She breathed a deep gust of air trying to settle her own nerves, and she wondered what would happen next? Did she make a move? Honestly, she didn’t even know what move to make. She should’ve listened to the girls in the guild more often. For Mavis’ sake, Levy was pregnant. It wouldn’t be that hard to gain information. In fact, Levy would probably have a whole lecture on do’s and don’ts for her. There wasn’t really time for that now.

 

Then, in the softest gesture that won her over in an instant, he kissed her palm. Reciprocating her own previous kiss. Her features softened, and suddenly she didn’t feel so... nervous.

 

“Lucy.” Her name came from his mouth like a flowing river. She wanted to drown strictly just in her own name. She must be affected by the mood because there was no way his voice had ever been THAT husky before. She gulped, but she didn’t move away. His hands were on her shoulders now, and her own hands rested on his chest. You could tell that Natsu did a lot of training on his own, his toned muscles rippled with even the smallest movements, and you could even see the flexing with certain positions. Of course, he had to be. A lot of his attacks were based on brute strength, and high jumping to bring his assault from above.

 

“Yes?” her voice cracked, and she ended up clearing her throat a second later. He supposed now was as good as any to go in for the kiss. He ran his hand up her soft skin and trailed up her neck to cup her face. What had Gildarts said? Use tongue? None of that even made sense! He grimaced, but quickly cleared the expression from his face with a shake of his head. He was a Dragneel he could figure out how kissing works. Probably. Stupid Gildarts not giving enough information for him to work with. He had plenty of details for the actual act, but nearly nothing for this.

 

“We should sleep.” He’d avoid it he decided. There wasn’t a drastic need for this to happen, and they had all the time in the world to get comfortable with each other in the aspect of romance. He didn’t need to rush, and neither did she. He gave her a small grin, his canines barely showing. What he hadn’t realized was that her face had morphed into one of anger, and embarrassment. Her cheeks were stained as red as Reedus’ favourite paint, and for a split second he realized he had not only killed the mood, but she had been expecting something to happen.

 

“Idiot!” she shrieked spinning on her heel to effectively kick him in the same cheek he had hit earlier. She paused, and for a brief moment, she realized she should really learn restraint. He held his cheek and sputtered for a second before shooting up from the ground.

 

“What the hell was that for!?” he was shouting now, and he realized that they were back. Their teamwork was back, and he couldn’t be happier. Of course, she’d been missing, and surely the after-effects of that were devastating, but they were no longer experiencing the friction of their own relationship. They’d talked, and emotions had been sorted out. Everything was working itself out, and the pair hoped it would be smooth sailing from here.

 

“You ruined the mood, idiot!” she was pouting now, and then with a small nibble to her lower lip, she looked up at him through thick pale lashes. Mavis save him because this girl was a goddamn sin. He gulped and found his mouth suddenly dry. He cleared his throat.

 

“Well, we have all the time in the world. Didn’t I tell ya? We’re gonna be together forever.” He was giving her that expression again. The one filled with determination, and promise. The one he gave her when she knew he’d never let her down.

 

“Yeah. And I’m all fired up now.” She closed her eyes and leaned her head to his chest.

 

“Thank you, Natsu.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the very very end my dudes  
> welcome to the end  
> Still  
> As always my tumblr link is below and you can get excerpts of WIPs i'm working on and one shots I am posting for NaLu, and Shicca (im edens zero shipping garbage)
> 
> [kurokamine](https://www.kurokamine.tumblr.com)

**Author's Note:**

> A/N  
> So, this was written way back in march, and my style has changed so much lol  
> I did go ahead and do some minor editing to what I had before but it was minor cause i dont want to do a full rewrite and its kind of nice to see my progress over the last few months.  
> i'll be posting everything in bulk  
> last but not least:  
> My tumblr is
> 
>  
> 
> [kurokamine](https://www.kurokamine.tumblr.com)


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